Panama City food tour
PANAMA CITY FOOD TOUR - Panama City has always been somewhere people pass through, and its kitchens are better for it. Spanish colonists came first, followed by Afro-Caribbean workers, Chinese migrants, merchants and sailors drawn to the narrow strip of land connecting two oceans. Today, Caribbean coconut, Chinese dumplings, Indigenous maize and abundant Pacific seafood sit comfortably at the same table.
Our four-hour feast of 15+ tastings follows those threads through the markets, street vendors and local eateries of Panama City, travelling by foot and metro from everyday neighbourhoods towards the historic heart of the capital.
We start with tasajo con patacΓ³n, smoky, salt-cured beef alongside thick-cut green plantain, smashed and fried until crisp at the edges. This is food of the people, not white tablecloths. We'll graze on bollos, soft maize dough traditionally wrapped and cooked before being paired here with sausage, and spoon into comforting crema de maΓz. Panama's relationship with corn stretches back long before Europeans arrived, and it appears again in a traditional tamal, its seasoned filling enclosed in tender maize dough and steamed in leaves.
Before heading south on the metro, we'll stop for a bowl of sancocho. Panama's great restorative soup is built around chicken, root vegetables and culantro, producing a clear but intensely savoury broth.
Back at street level, we'll pass the Afro-Antillean Museum, whose story is inseparable from modern Panama. Tens of thousands of Caribbean workers arrived during construction of the railway and later the canal, bringing food traditions that embedded coconut, spices and new techniques into Panamanian cooking.
They weren't alone. Chinese migration to Panama stretches back to the nineteenth-century railway boom, and the community grew further during the canal era. Its influence runs deep enough that Chinese-style breakfast is now part of Panamanian weekend ritual. We'll taste plump Cantonese siumai, steamed around a juicy pork filling, alongside crisp mafa, twisted fried dough with a gentle sweetness.
Then the Pacific takes over. Inside the chaotic Mercado de Mariscos, fishing boats supply counters with the day's catch and cups of chilled shrimp ceviche, bright with citrus. We'll cross into San Felipe Neri Public Market for flaky fish cooked al ajillo, glossy with garlic, alongside arroz con poroto y coco, where earthy beans and fragrant coconut rice reveal the unmistakable influence of Panama's Caribbean communities.
Dessert keeps us in the tropics. A golden plantinta wraps sweet plantain filling inside baked pastry, followed by Panamanian coffee.
We'll finish among the historic streets of old Panama with a better understanding of a city built between oceans. The canal may be Panama's most famous shortcut, but its food takes the scenic routeβfrom Indigenous America and Spain to China, the Caribbean and back again, all in one seriously hungry capital.
Why this tour is awesome
Over 15+ tastings, you'll eat through the migrations that built modern Panama, from Indigenous maize and Caribbean coconut to Chinese dumplings and just-landed Pacific seafood. Expect smoky tasajo, crisp patacones, restorative sancocho, citrusy shrimp ceviche and garlicky market-fresh fish.
We'll cross the city by foot and metro, diving into local markets, street stalls and neighbourhood eateries along the way. It's Panama City beyond the canal, deliciously unpolished and best understood from the plate.
Join us for 15+ tastings across the streets of Panama City.
Discover the influences that shaped Panamanian cooking.
The food heroes of Panama City.
Smoked tasajo served with crisp fried green plantain.
Soft bollos con salchichas, Panamanian corn dough wrapped around savoury sausage.
Creamy crema de maΓz, a comforting Panamanian sweet corn porridge.
Sweet, chewy cocada packed with toasted coconut.
Steaming Panamanian tamal wrapped and cooked the traditional way.
The food heroes of Panama City.
Tangy pesada de nance topped with salty local cheese.
Discover hidden eateries you'd likely miss on your own.
Steaming sancocho, Panama's beloved chicken and herb soup.
Steaming sancocho, Panama's beloved chicken and herb soup.
Cantonese steamed pork siumai dumpling.
Mafa fried sweet dough twists.
Explore the Mercado De Mariscos Cinta Costera.
Vendors at work.
Discover the real flavours of Panama.
Cocktail de camarΓ³n paired with obligatory crackers.
Serving launch, Pamama City-style.
Pescado al ajillo, with coconut arroz con poroto y coco.
The food heroes of Panama City.
Sweet, baked plantain empanada.
Finish on a Panamanian coffee.
Includes
- Price US $69 per person
- Language English
- Small group Maximum of 8 guests (private tours or groups of 9+, please contact us)
- Tastings 15+ tastings
- Drinks Bottled water and local drinks
- Duration 10.30am - 2.30pm
- Guides Led by one of our superb Panama City food hosts
- Cancellation Cancel up to 48 hours before departure for a full refund
- Family friendly Families welcome on all our tours. Children 50% discount.
- Transport Walking tour
- Instant confirmation Book now to secure your space (before we sell out!)
- Drop Our guests come from all over the city, so to save time we have a meeting point. Your guide can help you find transport back at the end of the tour
Dietary information
- General advice Many local eateries specialise in signature menus, and may not have alternatives. It is not always possible to cater for all dietary requests at every stop
- Vegetarian Unsuitable as meat and seafood are used in 5-6 tastings (out of 15 total)
- Vegan Unsuitable as meat, seafood and dairy are used in 8-9 tastings (out of 15 total)
- Pescatarian Unsuitable as meat is used in 5-6 tastings (out of 15 total)
- Pork Possible, though pork is used in 1-2 tastings (out of 15 total)
- Halal Unsuitable as none of the vendors are halal-certified
- Gluten intolerance / Celiac Possible, though gluten is present in 2-3 tastings (out of 15 total)
- Lactose intolerance Possible, though lactose is present in 2-3 tastings (out of 15 total)
- Tree nut / peanut allergy Possible, though peanuts are used in 1-2 tastings and cashews are used in 1-2 tastings (out of 15 total)
- Seafood / Shellfish allergy Possible, though seafood is used in 2-3 tastings (out of 15 total)
How to book
To join our Panama City food tour, use the calendar above to select your preferred date, and secure your tour with your card. For special requests, private bookings, or dietary requirements, please contact us. Safety of our customers is our first priority, so if you have any food allergies, please contact us before booking.
What to expect
This tour is designed for adventurous eaters with an interest in discovering the food locals eat. Itβs a walking tour, but the pace is gentle, and there are plenty of rest (eating) stops along the way. Join us on the best Panama City food tour in the city, you won't regret it.
Meeting point
Meet outside theΒ Panama City Hall. It's easy to reach either by taxi or via the metro. There will be more details on your booking voucher.Β
Cancellation Policy
Why you should book with us
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99% 5 star reviews across our tours -
Secure payments through provider Peek
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No hidden charges - all food tastings included in the price
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Authentic food experience, escape the tourist traps